


Deeper Depths of the Universe

by gods_among_us (orphan_account)



Series: Everything Starts and Ends with Atë [2]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M, M/M, Not Canon Compliant - The Blood of Olympus, Post-The Blood of Olympus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-30
Updated: 2016-06-18
Packaged: 2018-05-04 02:40:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5317430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/gods_among_us
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Your name is THE READER and you have a knack for reading REALLY AWFUL FANFICS.</p><p>Reader: Read this shitstain on the face of literature</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Atë: Explain.

**Author's Note:**

> I've been setting this story up for a two-part thing, but I think it's going to be a trilogy now.  
> *room of scientists cheer and shake hands*  
> Yes, so, this is the one where you'll get an inside look to each AU for my story [Ten Realities and My Trusty Fork](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5182292/chapters/11939234)  
> Check out my tumblr [here!](http://luciferslittlekitten.tumblr.com/)

It had been roughly a week since Frank and Hazel left for Camp Jupiter.

 

It had been roughly two weeks since Nico left the infirmary, but not Will’s side.

 

It had been roughly eight days since Percy and Annabeth went back into the city to see Sally and Paul.

 

It had been exactly three weeks, two days, and thirteen hours since Leo Valdez died, and the only way anyone knew this was because Piper and Jason were counting constantly.

 

People heard Jason murmuring Latin prayers under his breath.

 

People saw Piper look up at the sky hopefully.

 

People saw the two of them move and speak like zombies.

 

Frank said they’d come out of it soon.

 

Hazel felt waves of pity wash over her at the sight of them.

 

Percy knew that loss was hell, and of course he’d know.

 

Annabeth watched them with half-formed condolences floating in her mind.

 

Nico told them they should move on for the better.

 

Will said grief was normal, but they had to let go.

 

People knew they were half-alive and being eaten up with guilt.

 

_I could have saved him._

_Why didn’t I try harder?_

_If I’d done this…_

_If he did that…_

_If I wasn’t so…_

_Pathetic._

_Scared._

_Weak._

_Stupid._

 

Jason and Piper were two shells of what they had once been, and they didn’t let anyone help them.

 

They didn’t want help.

 

They wanted Leo.

 

 

 

  
It hurt.

 

It hurt a lot more than it should’ve, and she knew this would happen. Some promises could not be kept, and this was one of them.

 

He swore on the River Styx.

 

Maybe he was searching right now.

 

She knew it was hopeless.

 

She didn’t care.

 

Calypso felt ages spanning between the time from now, and when she had felt Leo’s lips on hers, his charming laugh, dumb smile, handsome face- he was so, so ordinary, but also the most extraordinary man she’d ever laid her eyes on.

 

She left her garden unattended, let weeds grow and flowers wilt. She occupied herself with daydreaming, looking out over the ocean, writing songs and planning amateur designs for Leo and Calypso’s Garage: Auto Repair and Mechanical Monsters.

 

She was desperately torn between taking her mind off Leo and hanging onto every thought of him. She knew this curse made her fall in love ten times faster than a normal girl, but her pinning over Leo was making her realize how genuine of a man he really was.

 

Sometimes she fantasized about being a demigod. A normal demigod. She wouldn’t like being a daughter of Hephaestus for obvious reasons. She liked the idea of being an Aphrodite girl, or perhaps a Hecate one.

 

She decided upon Hecate. With her sorcery and the like, it made sense. She fantasized of a world with no war, just her and Leo Valdez meeting and falling in love and living like normal mortals, marrying and having kids.

 

She planned their wedding and named their future children, thinking of a domestic life and adding every little detail she could. Having dinner together, her daughter bringing home her boyfriend, going out with friends and working in the auto garage with Leo…

 

She wanted a girl and a boy- twins. They’d be troublemakers, but smart and gorgeous and amazing because they’d be theirs.

 

Yes, she was clutching to hope. It might’ve been odd and far too early in their relationship to be thinking of such things, but she didn’t care.

 

All she cared about was seeing Leo Valdez again, even if it killed her.

  
  
  


Atë didn’t like death exactly.

 

Sometimes it worked in her favor and let her get her way, but most times it repulsed her.

 

She hated the thought of living short, simple lives. She wanted so badly for mortals to thrive and live long lives. At least the worthy ones. She had a very high standard of worth, and those who dipped under it, well, they could be scum for all she cared

 

Her Litae, her followers, her sisters, her friends, they’d bring her the ones who didn’t deserve death. The ones she watched and protected, powerful and beautiful men and women whose lives were so short, yet so inspiring and impacting, that she couldn’t bear to let them go.

 

She brought them back. Sometimes she hoped one would care to stay with her, in her cursed colorless home, and even dare to love her. She wanted to kill all of them that denied her, watch as their last chance of survival was stripped from them, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t kill from her isolation, she simply wasn’t allowed to. It infuriated her.

She fell in love so easily, she felt as if Aphrodite laughed at her. It was first and foremost Eurystheus who Atë first adored.

 

She’d tricked Zeus. She made him swear an oath that a descendant of his would be a great ruler. Hera delayed Heracles’ birth, but instead brought forth Eurystheus prematurely.

 

Zeus cast her down from Mt. Olympus, forbidding her to return. She silently fell in love with Eurystheus, but before she could admit her feelings, he was married to Antimache.

 

He was not a great man, but she loved him.

 

She preserved her grace in the room. If she were to leave, she would once again become the tyraness she once was, bringing havoc down upon mortals and wrecking and breaking their spirits. She didn’t want that.

 

Sometimes she weighed her options.

 

Stay safe and sane in this room forever.

 

Or be alive, free, careless, and joyous, killing and destroying and doing what she once did. What she was once meant to do.

 

She wanted to do the latter.

 

She always stuck to the former.

 

Atë was biding her time, sending Leo Valdez off like this. She was biding it for something unavoidable and strong and even more powerful than Gaea herself. Oh, she was looking forward to doing all that, but for now she simply waited.

 

And her lady, her mother and mentor, was waiting for her to initiate what they knew was nothing a single breathing being could stand. For now, she busied herself in the preparation.

 

The war had been won because of Leo Valdez, but he had also triggered the beginning of the inevitable end.

  
And Atë couldn’t wait. 


	2. Percy: Speak to Piper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out my tumblr [here](http://luciferslittlekitten.tumblr.com/)  
> These chapters will be syncing with the order of the chapters for [Ten Realities and my Trusty Fork](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5182292/chapters/11939234)  
> So, starting with Percy's world!

The second Leo made Percy question a lot. Even though he vanished almost as soon as he arrived, it really made him think of what in his father’s name could have been different in his universe.

 

He went on his first quest with Annabeth and Grover, yes, then his second one with them…

 

Then his third one. The one with Bianca and Thalia and Grover. He didn’t like the think about that quest. It was an extraordinary tragedy, that one.

 

“Percy?”

 

He looked up. Piper was leaning in his doorway, looking at him with concern. “Are you alright?”

 

“Yeah, just fine,” he shook his head, “Just confused. And tired.”

 

Piper let herself in and sat down on Percy’s bed. “I know. It was all so confusing. I thought the Other Leo would have more information to give us. He was barely here a moment.”

 

Percy shrugged. Truth be told, he didn’t know how to talk to Leo. Not after Croatia. He could see the signs so plainly obvious now, and it pained him that Jason still didn’t know. It wasn’t like he could tell though, that would be invading his privacy. He wasn’t that type of guy. “Yeah. I wish I knew what other worldly us looked like.”

 

Piper laughed, “Maybe we’re all dark, brooding emos.”

 

Percy cracked a smile. “Probably. Where’s Jason and Annabeth, do you know?”

 

Piper shrugged, twirling her hair around her finger. “Leo docked. They said they were gonna go scope out the area.”

 

“Where are we then?”

 

Piper furrowed her brow. “Uh, not exactly sure. Leo won’t talk to me.”

 

Percy really wished Leo would stop being so openly hateful towards Piper. She was a nice girl, and it wasn’t her fault Leo had a crush on her boyfriend.

 

“Are you ever going to tell me about the Cupid thing?”

 

The question kind of came out of the left field. Percy straightened up. Could Piper read his mind or something?

 

“The- What?”

 

“Eros, you know. With Leo, You guys have been giving each other weird looks. Did that weirdo brother of mine make you guys make out or something weird like that?”

 

“Eww, no,” Percy said, wrinkling up his nose. “Nothing like that.”

 

Piper sighed, pushing her hair behind her back. “Worth a shot. You gonna tell me?”

 

Percy shook his head no. He couldn’t betray Leo’s faith like that, not in a million years.

 

“I’ll ask again,” Piper said, and this time her voice was sweet and convincingly smooth, “What happened in Croatia?”

 

“I… Leo and Eros kind of faced off,” Percy found himself replying, as if it were second nature, “Eros was taunting him about loving someone who will never return his feelings.”

 

“Who?” Piper asked, voice as steady as ever.

 

Percy’s throat closed up. He didn’t want to reply, but he felt as it he was going to anyways. Like word vomit. “A guy… Some guy… There was also a girl..”

 

“Who?” Piper repeated, “What’s his name? The guy?”

 

“Jason,” Percy couldn’t hold it anymore, it was like the answer was being torn from his mouth, “Your boyfriend. Jason. Leo loves him non-platonically.”

 

Percy let out a sigh, as if a vice on his throat had just been released.

 

“So… Leo’s…”

 

“It’s not up to you to decide what Leo is.” Percy replied sharply. Leo had made it abundantly clear after the incident he liked both girls and guys. Almost like he was trying to prove to Percy ‘hey, look, I’m not gay! I’m normal, I like girls, I swear’.

 

“That was gross, Piper. Gross and manipulative and you know. Do you feel better about knowing now?”

 

Piper’s mouth opened and closes a couple times, like a fishing out of water. “I… I’m sorry, I really am, I just needed to know… He’s my best friend and I got concerned…”

 

“You should let your best friend have his secrets, Piper. He wasn’t trying to intrude on your relationship ever. He wouldn’t do that. But now you’ve went and dragged me into your problems.”

 

Piper looked helpless. “You’d want to know if… if… I don’t know, if Nico liked Annabeth!”

 

“Nico isn’t my best friend.” Percy said simply, “And he’s into boys. I’d be more worried about his sister being into Annabeth.”

 

“Then who’s your best friend?” Piper demanded, “If they liked Annabeth, I’m sure you’d like to know.”

 

“He’s dead. And even if he did, I would let him tell me himself. Not force it out of him or anyone else.”

 

Piper seemed to grow even smaller. “I just needed to know.”

 

“No,” Percy said, “You wanted to know, Piper. Get out of my room.”

 

“I’m-,”

 

“Get out.”

  
  


If Nico’s day could get any worse, he’d end up dead. He was definitely a dead man now. Khione’s dumb winds were strong and they chilled him to his core. He could hear Bianca’s voice ringing in his skull. _Don’t forget your jacket, Nico._

And he’d said, _Bianca, we’re sailing through Southern Europe, it isn’t gonna be cold._

He wish he’d listened to her. He didn’t know how the Hades he was going to survive this fall. Maybe the water would be better than land?

 

He felt like he was flying, but this was much different from the time Jason brought him up in the air with him. This was intense and scary and he was eventually going to fall and die and his blood with spill and Gaea would awaken and every would say, _Geez, di Angelo, could you have not fallen and broken every bone in your body and got your blood everywhere? Sheesh, the nerve of some people._

His mind was rambling with useless sentiments. His clothing might as well been nonexistent for how cold it was.

 

He felt the winds weakening. He thought he was falling, but just as he did, he felt unexplainably warm. And it surrounded his entire body and engulfed

him in the heat. He was pretty sure he blacked out or something, because when he came back to himself, he was laying on hard ground.

 

He shot up immediately, sifting sand through his fingers. He sighed a breath of relief.

 

“Oh, good, you’re finally up.”

 

Nico whipped around as quick as he could. There, right in front of him, was the most incredibly attractive man he’d ever laid his eyes on.

 

Well, perhaps that was an exaggeration, but this person did not play around.

 

He had blonde hair the color of the sun and eyes so blue Nico swore they couldn’t be natural. He was tall with tan skin, and he was wearing some kind of old-timey toga thing.

 

“Nice to meet you,” he said, extending a hand, “Name’s Will.”

 

“Uh… Hey, Will, I’m Nico,” He took his hand and tried to pull himself up, but winced at a pain his wrist.

 

Will immediately took notice and used his other hand to help him up. “I can wrap that for you, Nico.”

 

“Yeah, thanks, but,” Nico looked around. The island he was on was nearly perfect in condition, with thriving gardens and clear beachy shores. He wondered why a beautiful island didn’t have some million dollar beach home smack dab in the center of it. “Uh, who are you?”

 

“I’m a demigod,” Will replied, starting off towards a homey looking cave-type thing. “Child of Apollo.”

 

“Why are you on the island?”

 

“Hera cursed me here.” He said, not even turning to face Nico.

 

Something clicked in Nico’s mind then. He remembered the Greek myth about Will, kind of. In the stories he’d been referred to Willhelm, an amazingly talented doctor.

 

He was trying to refresh the memory on the story. Will did it for him.

 

“I was a healer. Bit of an archer.” He said, “Village bachelor. Many parents wanted me to marry their daughters, but I was spoken for. I also attracted the attention of a god,” He paused, both in his speech and step for a moment, then continued, “Zeus.”

 

Nico flinched. This was where Hera came in. He remembered how the myth went now.

 

“He tried to get me to be his. To have sex with him. I refused, of course, I didn’t want to risk Hera’s wrath. Besides, he’s my grandfather.”

 

Were all Greek gods so incest-y? It sickened him. “You don’t have to-,”

 

“No, you need to know. Can't have you wondering why some random guy is helping you,” Will said, “He became angry with me. He disguised himself as my lover, Adin, and had intercourse with me then.” He sounded very sad as he spoke, but he went on, “Hera murdered Adin before my eyes and banished me to live a life alone on this island.”

 

He was leaving out something, Nico knew, but he didn’t ask what it was. “I’m sorry.”

 

“It was a long time ago.” Will told him, holding out an arm as an invitation into the cave.

 

“Still,” Nico pressed, looking around what looked to be a home. The inside didn’t look much like a cave. The walls were made up of beautiful crystals.  It was floored and had a kitchen and bed and the likes. It wasn’t very big, but it was homey.

 

“You can take my bed. I’ll sleep on a cot.”

 

“Oh, no, I can’t-,”

 

“You’re my guest,” Will interrupted, “I intend to treat you like one.”

 

Nico, still unsure, said, “If you say so.”

 

“And I do.”

 

The day went by quicker than Nico would’ve liked it to. Will said that the island’s magic had gone all wonky, and he might not be able to get off for quite some time. He wasn’t as disappointed at that as he ought to have been. His friends needed him, but Will was charming and kind, and he liked it a lot on Ogygia.

 

“Nico? You about ready to sleep?” Will asked, peeking out of the cave. Nico had settled himself on a flat rock overlooking the ocean. He looked back at Will and nodded.

 

“Yeah, I’m coming, don’t wait up.”

 

Will stared at him a moment before stepping outside. He sat next to Nico, gaze fixing on the sunset reflecting off the ocean. It was a beautiful sight. Nico looked over at Will a moment, but quickly averted his gaze when the man started to look back.

 

“It’s quite beautiful, isn’t it?” Will said in a hushed voice, “I’ve always liked to study constellations and star patterns, but the sunsets and rises enthrall me as well.”

 

His eyes glinted with the beautiful lights of the sinking sun. Nico looked over at him in admiration. He really was beautiful. The thought that Zeus trapped him here made him want to go right up to Olympus and beat the god’s ass.

 

“Yeah,” he found himself replying mindlessly, “it is.”

 

Will looked over at him and smiled, “I'm glad you landed on my island, Nico.”

 

Then, Will’s hand rested atop Nico's. The younger boy felt a blush darken his cheeks.

 

“T-Thank you…” he stuttered, pulling his hand away quickly. Will didn't look very offended though. His smile faltered some, and he scooted away from him a little, but made no comment.

 

When the sun on the horizon had fallen away, leaving only the moon hanging in the sky, Will stood up. “Perhaps we should get to bed.”

 

Nico leaped up from his seat. “Alrighty.”

 

They walked wordlessly back to the cave. Will pulled silky curtains over the entrance, and Nico was settling himself in his- or rather Will's- bed when he spoke up.

 

“You remind me of him. Adin.” And that was the last thing Will spoke before laying on the cot and presumably falling asleep.

 

As he lay on Will’s bed, he listened to the breathing of the man that was on the cot not too far away, he remembered what Will had not mentioned earlier. He was stuck on the island forever, yes, but he was also cursed to fall in love with anyone who ending up on it. Nico had a hard time sleeping after that.

  
  


Bianca was stressed, to say the very least. After ages of traveling with the Hunters, fighting monsters and followers of Gaea, all she wanted to do was nap. Half her time was spent worrying about her brother, and the other half was spent worrying about the Hunters.

 

She didn’t exactly regret becoming a Hunter, but she did catch onto Thalia’s disapproving looks when she talked about Nico. Hypocrite she was though, she had Jason.

 

Maybe it was the whole “swearing off boys” thing that irked her. Or maybe it was the fact that she might outlive her younger brother. Or maybe it was she simply didn’t find being a part of the hunt as cool anymore. It was a duty now, and that was all. She heard other girls gush about Artemis, but she couldn’t find the appeal anymore.

 

Cliche as it was, she felt like a black sheep among her peers. Could you just quit being one? Did it work like that? She sighed, running a hand through her hair. Most of her fellow Hunters were in the Artemis cabin since they were at Camp Half-Blood to help the war effort. She, however, was in the Hades cabin. Her brother’s bed was messily made. Above it was a large amount of pictures of his friends doing everything and anything. Nico was a sentimental kind of person.

 

There was also a large amount of him with Hazel. It pained her a little to see them. Hazel was only his half sister, but she was a more present figure in Nico's life.

 

She felt selfish for thinking that Nico was better off with her than Hazel. From the scarce information she received from the Argo II, she knew there was a slowly forming relationship between Hazel and the Frank guy from the Roman camp, so she secretly hoped Hazel would run off with him.

 

Speaking of running away…

 

She cursed herself briefly, closing her eyes and sighing deeply. She had a vow to Lady Artemis. And she couldn’t just leave! She knew what happened in all those Greek myths. She couldn’t be wasting her time on a boy with a stupid smile and stupid hair and stupid pretty brown eyes and stupid-

 

Bianca sank down on Nico’s bed. It was all hopeless, and it wasn’t even the dumb boy who was making her time as a Hunter so hard. She didn’t know how Thalia handled it, but thinking of possibly outliving her brother, watching him grow old while she was forever a teenager, brought a sick feeling to her stomach. She guessed she’d been infatuated with the idea of immortality and the prospects of all this mythological junk.

 

She looked over to Hazel's bed, seeking to clear her mind. The bed sheets had been replaced with floral ones, and an abundance of pillows was present on the mattress. Bianca had no clue how someone slept with so many pillows.

 

And, really, she tried to sympathize with Hazel! Her mother had died not even two years ago, and she'd been clueless and scared until she was brought to Camp. Even though she was a child of Hades that was relatively new born (no preservation in a casino or anything, she'd been born in 1997) she was kind of a minor figure until she stowed away on Jason, Piper, and Leo's quest.

 

She was a camp celebrity! Then there was the whole shebang with her being captured and put in that jar…

 

Whatever.

 

It was normally Leo who Iris messaged her to keep her updated, or at least tried to. His jokes were stupid, but her sense of humor was just as bad, so she could find herself often unable to control her giggles. He was so unwittingly charming it pained her sometimes. When nothing of particular importance was in jeopardy, they’d just mess around. She would not admit they were flirting. They'd just chat about everything and anything. Bianca enjoyed their talks a lot.

 

“Bianca?”

 

Bianca looked over at the door at her tent mate, Elizaveta.

 

“Hey,” she greeted, motioning inside the cabin, “come in?”

 

Elizaveta smiled and walked inside. “You've been kind quiet today. Everything okay?”

 

Bianca shrugged. “I'm alright. I just…”

 

“Miss him?” Elizaveta guessed, following Bianca's gaze locked on Nico's photo collage.

 

“A little.” She admitted. She looked over at Elizaveta. She had blonde hair and dark brown eyes. Her skin was pale and without a single blemish. Her voice was tinted with a French accent too. She could've passed as an Aphrodite girl if she hadn't sworn off men.

 

Elizaveta looked over at her. “You need to talk about something, Bee?”

 

“I’m alright, Veta. Nothing wrong.” she smiled, but she could tell it wasn’t convincing her friend.

 

Elizaveta had no mother nor father, and her only family was an uncle back in France. He was locked up in a mental hospital though, and had no business taking care of a child. She’d moved to America as a young girl, her parents were killed when she was twelve, and then she was in foster home after foster home until Artemis found her.

 

She didn’t trust a lot of people with those details. Elizaveta was very secretive, and only told people she considered very close about her life.

Bianca was honored to be one of those people.

 

Elizaveta arched a perfect eyebrow, “No?”

 

“Yeah,” Bianca said, “Just stressed.”

 

“You’re keeping something from me,” she said, readjusting herself so she was sitting cross-legged on Nico’s bed, “Can’t you trust me? Your meilleur ami?”

 

She let her shoulders hunch then drop. “I don’t know if I should.”

 

“Bianca,” Her name always seemed to roll off the girl’s tongue, not exactly mispronounced, but unlike everyone else’s dialect, “You can trust me with anything, you know, yes? I’m always here for you. Your secret will be safe with me.”

  


Bianca hesitated only a moment. “There's a boy.”

 

This caught Elizaveta’s attention for sure. Whatever she expected, it was not that. She looked over at Bianca with wide eyes. “A boy?”

 

“Yeah.” Bianca sounded meek.

 

“But you-,”

 

“Swore off boys, I know, I just don't..” Bianca swallowed thickly, “I don't want to be a Hunter anymore.”

 

Elizaveta looked scandalized. “All for a boy? I can't believe it. You're better than that.”

 

“It's not just him,” she said quickly, “It's everything. The immortality. Leaving everyone I love behind.” She picked a picture of Nico and Hazel from the collage. “You wouldn't understand.”

 

“No, I wouldn't.” Elizaveta agreed.  “You'd have to tell Lady Artemis, but first tell me about the boy.”

 

“He's a son of Hephaestus.” Bianca started, “and I really, really like him, Veta.”

 

Elizaveta tried for a smile despite her obvious disapproval, “Leo Valdez, no? The one you’re always talking to? I can hear you two courting, it’s kind of cute, just… difficult. For you, I mean.”

 

Bianca pushed hair behind her ear, blushing a little. “Yeah,” she nodded, “Leo Valdez.”

  
  


Leo didn't really think he could be alone forever. At least he had Nico, right? They were both single. And even if he didn't have an interest in the boy, it was nice not to be the odd man out.

 

Then they picked Nico up from that dock, and he was all but drooling about the other guy he'd met on that damned island. He had to report this, of course, to Nico's sister. They had a relationship like that. It was kind of secret, their conversations, but she reported in from Camp and him from the Argo.

 

He was hopeless, really. What was up with him and getting crushes on people he could never be with. First his straight best friend then a Hunter of Artemis? Gods, Aphrodite must hate him a lot.

 

He started down the corridor to the engine room. Everything was ten times more awkward after Other Leo's appearance and disappearance. The guy was obviously better off, if his Calypso was worth gushing about. He really hated it. He, after Croatia, found himself fantasizing more and more about Bianca and less and less about Jason. Save for that weird threesome wet dream. Gods, he still felt dirty for having that.

 

Maybe it was because he'd got it out. Jason was someone unreachable, untouchable, someone he could admire but never really date. He and Piper were the “it” couple anyways. He liked to believe that he never really liked Jason, more so the idea of. It wasn't exactly true, but it helped him get over his crush.

 

Wasn't like Bianca was a better alternative though. Sworn off boys and the whole nine yards. When he'd met her, during the whole Thalia/Jason reunion, she was by far the nicest Hunter towards him. Maybe it was because of her half sister, Hazel, had tagged along, but she was kind to Leo nonetheless.

 

Now they frequently Iris messaged. Or at least whenever they could. Iris wasn't as at war with herself than other gods were, but even still. She said that it was for her brother’s sake, since he was joining the Argo crew and she had to stay with the Hunters, but she seemed to enjoy pointless banter too.

 

She was beautiful. And appreciated his sense of humor. That was a big plus.

 

He knew from the deepest depth of his heart she couldn’t possibly be flirting. She was a Hunter of Artemis. Immortal lesbians, that’s what he thought them to be. But he still tried to charm the girl, obnoxiously so, and he didn’t know what he thought would come of it.

 

So, at the same time, he was kind of glad he wasn’t stuck in Other Leo’s shoes. God, he couldn’t imagine being stuck in that prophecy. Their line didn’t involve him or Jason. To hell or earth the world must fall, and that meant it was between Nico and Hazel. Piper was the one who figured out what the line meant, ironically enough. She wasn’t even a part of the prophecy, but Jason insisted on bringing his pin-up of a girlfriend everywhere. Leo hated her.

 

Well, maybe he wasn’t as over his crush on Jason as he’d like to believe, but he was going to believe it anyways.

 

Besides, Other Leo had Calypso, and he still wasn’t over seeing his best friend as a hamster or guinea pig or gerbil or whatever that psycho turned his best friend into.

 

Yeah, sorry lady. Not staying with someone who’s a-okay with animal cruelty. And human cruelty, to be fair.

 

He sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. He needed to tell Bianca about today or else she'd worry. He made a detour and headed towards the engine room. He saw, as he walked, Piper with her hand hesitating to rest on Percy's door.

 

His stomach twisted as per usual when he saw the girl. It started doing that when Jason asked her out in Wilderness School, even if those memories were fake. It was a mixture of jealousy and anger and sadness. Leo hated feeling jealous, it was a horrid feeling, but he couldn't help himself most times.

 

She looked over at him and seemed to jump back five feet. Her eyes were wide and she looked terrified. “Hey Leo?” she said, but it came out as more of a question.

 

“Hey, Piper…” he looked at her in confusion, anger subsiding some at her scared expression. “You okay?”

 

“Yeah! Yeah!” she said hurriedly, waving her hand dismissively.

 

He didn't have a chance to reply before she bounded up to him and then Piper's arms were around him and her head nestled on his shoulder. She murmured some form of an apology, pulled away to look him in the eyes, and stayed quiet for a moment t before saying, “I know. And it's okay.”

 

Then she awkwardly peeled herself away from him and scampered off down the hall, leaving Leo to feel an onslaught of emotion that he couldn't define.

 

 


	3. Nico: Mourn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> everything is sad so look at [my tumblr](http://luciferslittlekitten.tumblr.com/)  
> memes will make u happy i swear

_November 7, 1940_

Nico couldn’t sleep. He never had a problem with insomnia before, and if he ever had a rare sleepless night, he’d crawl into Bianca’s bed and fall asleep next to her. Father said that a man shouldn’t do such things. He’d stopped when he was told that, but as he lay tossing and turning, he seriously considered crossing the hall to Bianca’s room one more time.

His entire family was on edge. In fact, the entire village was. Venice was only a day or two’s voyage away from their settlement, and with the Germans already making themselves cozy in big cities, it wouldn’t be farfetched to believe their stations here would turn into homes.

The day they arrived, clad in gray uniforms, they’d walked into the village like they owned the place. They’d yelled in an unfamiliar language and ordered people around. A scarce few of them spoke English. Nico pretended he only spoke his native language.

He was scared. He never admitted it to anyone, but he was absolutely terrified. He knew their country was allied with the Germans, but he didn’t like them one little bit. If they were supposed to be friendly, why did they invade their towns and scream and yell at them in their intimidating language?

He pushed his face into the pillow and pulled the blankets up around his head. His mind was racing, he couldn’t even fathom falling asleep. He groaned, pushing the sheets off him and standing up. Maybe a glass of water would calm him. That’s what his mother told him.

He crept out of his room, avoiding the single creaky floorboard, and started down the hall. He was about to turn into their kitchen when he heard a voice come from the dining room. He furrowed his brow and peered into the adjoining room.   
There was a gathering of people surrounding his kitchen table. He listened in. He hadn’t the faintest idea why there would be so many people in his home. His parents were social, yes, but it was a workday and didn’t the villagers need to be rested up? And why of all times so late?

“-assumed unrightly so. It’s cruel of us to think that.” That was his father, he knew.

“Cruel? We have right to be cruel. We have murderers right outside our village, Leonardo! We can’t allow these Germans to come in here and take what they wish!” This was a feminine voice he did not recognize. But, at her outburst, there was a cheer of support.

There was a hushing noise and then, “We cannot go in with guns firing and no plan. I’m sure the lot of you know this..” The voice trailed off. Nico sucked in a breath when he realized the speaker had a German accent, “We have quite the arsenal ourselves, and I cannot damage it without high suspicion that will hurt our movement in the long run.”

“Yeah, we get it, Kraut.” A voice sneered, and there was an indignant cry.

“You wouldn’t know how to do a single thing without Luke!” This voice was less strongly Germanic but had a cold, crisp quality to it.

“Ah, look, there goes his mutt…” A rusty male voice said, and there was a collective laugh.

“Don’t call her a bitch,” growled the male German voice, “I’m putting my life on the lines, do you not see? I could very well be executed for this.”

Another voice spoke up. Nico recognized this as his mother. “A fight is the last thing we need now. Luke, Thalia- Please. That goes for you too,  
Felipe. And Adalina, don’t act innocent. We mustn’t fight amongst ourselves. We are supposed to be opposing the Nazis, not our people.”

There was a group-wide mumble and nod.

“Now then,” Nico’s father began again, “I hope you bring us good news this time around?”

“The Americans are planning an airstrike.” The German man explained, “I have one of my men on the inside, but he very well may be found out. He’s well aware of this risk.”

Nico rested his head against the wall, closing his eyes. His parents were respectable people. They couldn’t be thinking about doing something like this, right?

“And this man will be doing…?” His father prompted.

“He’s part of the Nazi Party as well. He’s been spilling data to the Americans for months now, and he’s finally gotten enough for them to formulate a foolproof attack.” Luke elaborated.

“What will be our role in this?” asked a woman. Elle. He recognized the sweet lady from the market immediately. How many other familiar faces stood in his home tonight?

“Once the American missiles strike, I believe it would be best for us all to invade and attack them when they are in a weakened state. Sound good?”

“And your pretty little eyecandy here?”

There was a slapping sound and a pained wail.

“Thalia!” his mother cried, “You can’t hit your people!”

“He insulted me.” Thalia replied simply, “I don’t let people do that to me.”

“I thought Austrian women were supposed to be classy and reserved, not outspoken whores.” The woman, Adaline, scorned.

“Don’t you dare call me that,” Thalia said with a silent kind of anger.

“Thalia,” It was the German man, Luke, “Please.”

There was a sigh. Someone cleared their throat. “Now then, Leonardo, did you want to elaborate on your idea?”

“Yes,” his father said. Nico was freezing even though the night was warm. Goosebumps popped up along both his arms. He didn’t understand. “As soon as the Americans set the flames, we’ll add fuel to the fire. Our attack would be easily defendable, the Germans are very capable people. That’s why I’ve been allying myself with some other Westerners who are willing to provide us with bigger ammo to attack. Explosives are definitely a winning force here…”

His father trailed off. There was a silence. Nico couldn’t quite wrap his mind around what his father was proposing. Were they going to bomb the Germans? That would surely be illegal!

“You want us to bomb them?” Luke asked, “We’d need someone willing to plant the bomb. You cannot throw them and run like you can with grenades. They likely wouldn’t have time to escape.”

“I’ll do it.” Nico’s brain nearly short-circuited at the voice. It was Bianca. “I’ll do it, Father, I’ll plant the bomb.”

“No.” was his mother’s immediate response, “No, Bianca, we can’t let you do that.”

“I’d do anything for Italy.” His sister said proudly, “Including this. I’m not of use for much else, but-,”

“Bianca, you’re much too young.” His father’s voice was harsh, “You’re only a girl, you’re still my little girl, and we need you to protect Nico.”

His sister huffed. Bianca was a stubborn girl, he knew, but she wasn’t stupid. She couldn’t really want to risk death, would she? He clenched his fists and took a deep, shuddering breath. This was too much, much too much. He made his way back to his bed. He needed to sleep. 

* * *

 

_June 16, 1942_

It hurt. Everything hurt and ached and Nico didn’t know how to handle grief or loss or anything.

He started listening into the Resistance meetings every other night and began to pick up on stuff. As soon as Luke’s man, Ethaniel, brought back news, there was an attacked planned. A man named Lovino was to bomb the German camp, and the rest were to hang back and see if there were any survivors left to kill. Luke ended up being a traitor, though, and nothing went according to plan. Nico thought it was horribly brutal.

The pilots in the American airstrike team were countered by German forces. Most of them managed to draw back, though, and the few pilots that were more daring were continuing to fire against the Germans to save a few Resistance members. The pilot who’d rescued Nico, Percy Jackson, seemed kind enough. He had pretty blue-green eyes and wind blown black hair.

He’d been talking to Nico as one might to a child. It wasn’t Jackson who’d explained what happened in his village, though. It was another American pilot, some Asian man, who was Percy’s partner.

He told him that his parents and nearly all of the Resistance had been slaughtered by the Nazis, and the Germanic allies- Thalia and Ethaniel- had been arrested on claims of treason. The whereabouts of his sister were unknown.

Nico had never been so scared and depressed in his entire life. He couldn’t cry, he couldn’t scream, couldn’t speak. He was left in a numb kind of pain, ignoring the poor conversations Percy tried to initiate.

He didn’t eat, barely slept- he was lost and alone and he had no mother or sister to tell him to get to bed or eat his dinner. His father would’ve told him to be brave. He didn’t have any courage left in him.

He was taken to an American camp in the Italian countryside. He thought that’s where it was, anyways. They told him he’d stay there until they could sort things out in his village. The Asian man said moving to the United States might be a nice alternative. Nico didn’t like to talk about it.

* * *

 

_June 27, 1942_

Nico wasn’t eating. The military food was terrible and he felt like throwing up every time he swallowed a bite. It wasn’t as sunny as it was in Italy either.

He sat in a medical tent, occasionally being checked up on by a doctor. He prayed every night that Bianca was okay, that his village would be alright. He prayed that the Germans wouldn’t win the war and he could go home. He didn’t like to think about the fact he didn’t have much of a home anymore.

He remembered the very day he regained a smidgen of hope.

It was late June when he was met with another soldier. He bounded into the tent with a familiarity that made Nico uncomfortable. He spoke to the man on watch, then gave Nico and a quick glance before thanking the man.

“You're the Italian?” he asked before he even reached his bed. His skin was dark and he had curly hair. It would've looked boyish if he didn't have stubble growing along a jaw much more defined than Nico’s and a hard chest.

“Yes.”

He nodded and held out his hand. “I'm Leo. Nice to meet you.”

He didn't shake the man's hand, so he let it drop back to his side. Nico stared at Leo for a long while. “That was my father's name.”

He didn't know why he said it because it caused a long, awkward silence. Leo cleared his throat.

“Oh.” He blinked at Nico, “It’s a common name in Southern Europe, I guess… I’m Spanish.”

“I can tell,” Nico ripped his bread and popped a small piece in his mouth.

Leo was quiet for another moment. “Well, I just wanted to see if you were alright. Calypso’s concerned for you, you know,” he nodded towards a woman occupying one of the other beds, one that had long, glossy hair flowing down her back and was watching them in earnest. When she noticed Nico looking over at her, she waved, “and she asked me if I could check up on you. You don’t talk a lot.”

“There isn’t a lot to talk about.”

“I’ll… Has Solace looked at you yet?” Leo asked.

“No. Who’s that?” Nico asked, digging his short fingernails into the hardened outside of the bread.

“He’s our number one doc out here. I’ll make sure he does that. Calypso, she’s a doctor too, but I think she’d be more suited to helping you up here.” He tapped the side of his head.

“I’m mentally stable,” Nico snapped.

“Didn’t say you weren’t,” Leo replied smoothly, “Just that, you know, after what you’ve gone through…” he gave Nico a sympathetic look, “maybe it’d be nice to talk about it.”

“Yeah, well, I think I’m fine,” Nico muttered with a sharp glare to Leo.

“It’s not good to hold all that kind of stuff in,” Leo said, disregarding Nico’s counter, “I’m serious, chick-a-dee, you should really take up Calypso’s help.”

Nico shoved food into his face so he wasn’t obligated to respond. He wasn’t a child and this man shouldn’t be calling him _chick-a-dee_. Leo sighed. “She’s just a few beds over, recovering from a pretty nasty bruised rib. Not off work, though, much too committed for that. Just give her a chance, okay? Jackson’s told me about your situation.”

“I wasn’t aware I was so interesting.”

“You…” Leo blinked, “You do know that we only managed to recover five people from your village, right? Everyone else was either unwilling, fucking suicidal, really, or-,” he broke off there, “Sorry.”

“I know there’s been death, I’m not stupid.” Nico said, “My mother, my father, my sister, my friends, my grandparents…” He stopped once his voice broke. He took a deep breath to bite back tears. His own damn arrogance was going to cause him to sob. Go figure.

Leo started to say something, but Nico cut him off. He talked quickly to avoid crying. “I don’t need your pity or anyone else’s. Just leave me alone.” Leo put his hands up.

“I’m sorry. I just thought it might help.”

“Well, it didn’t!” Nico exclaimed angrily, chest rising and falling rapidly. He stared at Leo for another few moments before the tears threatening to spill from his eyes finally did. He cried. His father told him to never show weakness in front of a potential enemy, but he didn’t care anymore. His father wasn’t _here_. His father wasn’t even _alive_.

Leo’s comforting words were a buzz in his ears. The only thing to startle him out of his element was the presence of a cool palm on his cheek. A thumb wiped his tears away and he leaned into the touch.

“Leo, get me a washcloth,” said a distinctly female voice, “Nico? I’m Calypso. I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”

* * *

 

_June 30, 1942_

Nico didn’t want anyone to help him. He could do things all by himself just fine, perfectly fine, and no doctor was going to get to him. Calypso was a nice woman, sure, but he didn’t need her. That’s what he told himself day in and day out.

He still went to see her.

Just because she was friendly, though.

It’d only been a few days after actually having a sit-down chat with the lady that he was met with an actual doctor to check on his physical wounds.

His name was Dr. William Solace and he had blond hair and blue eyes just like a lot of the Germans who’d been stationed in his village had. He didn’t have a German accent, though- at least, not a strong one if at all- and he was a very kindhearted person. He always put others before himself, took extra special care of all his patients, and never stopped smiling.

Nico hated him immediately.

“You’re healing up pretty well, Nico. No serious injuries! Maybe some scarring or minor pain, but you’re pretty much set.” Will beamed at Nico. Nico scowled.

“I know you’ve been speaking with Calypso, yes?” he asked. Nico noticed how much more Germanic he sounded when he was saying something interrogatively.

“I guess,” he murmured, playing with the sleeves of his shirt. It was warm out, but he still seemed to always feel freezing.

Will tsked. “That woman, she’s certainly something,” he laughed a little, “She never stopped talking about you. I think you reminded her of her sister.”

Nico’s face scrunched up in indignancy. “Her _sister_? I’m no girl.”

Will chuckled. “Well, Calypso has told me that Zoë is quite the stubborn thing.”

Nico didn’t say anything.

“She’s in the American military, you know.”

Nico looked up at him, surprised. “She’s allowed?”

Will grinned. “I’ll let you in on a little secret, di Angelo,” he leaned in a little bit, “I think she’s better than half of the other men she works with.”

Nico looked up at Will, who raised an eyebrow back at him. He looked so bright and sunny and happy.

Nico didn’t know how anyone could be happy in this mess of a time.

* * *

 

_July 28th, 1942_

The tent was nearing empty. It was late at night, and the people that still inhabited it were all asleep. Save for a couple. The only noise to be heard was the sound of hushed whispering.

“You think I’m gross.”

“No.”

“You do.”

“I don’t.”

“You’re lying.”

Will sighed and gave Nico a stern look. “I don’t think you’re gross at all, okay?”

Nico glared. “I saw the way you looked at me when I told you!”

“I didn’t look at you any sorta way, Nico.”

“You did!”

“Fine, you wanna know what I think?” Will asked, and Nico retorted with a quiet ‘yeah, I do’ before Will had taken his wrist into his grasp.

“I _think_ that your eyes are beautiful.”

Nico blinked. Confused would be the best word to describe him. Shocked, maybe. Will continued to stare at him with hardened eyes. There was a silver cross hanging around his neck. He always wore it. Nico grabbed the pendant and very lightly tugged Will towards him.

He didn’t need much coaxing.

* * *

 

_August 2nd, 1942_

“He’s dead.”

Calypso’s words seemed to hang in the air like a mist. Yes, it was the sentence that no one dared speak. It was the truth that no one wanted to tell. It was the grim realization that this was what had happened, and there was no changing it.

Jason didn’t say anything for a while. “Yes. He is.”

“Oh,” Calypso breathed, emotionless, toneless as if she’d locked up the part of her brain that processed emotion, “Oh.”

Jason glanced at Will, who placed a hand on Calypso’s shoulder. Nico watched from his bed. He knew how Calypso felt. He had experienced this, too.

“He promised me,” she managed after a while, “You know he promised me.”

Jason stared at her as if this was hurting him more than what had happened. As if seeing her life this ached more than the actual tragedy.

“And you…” she didn’t even glance at him, “You… you promised me, too.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, and Nico saw how red his eyes were. Nico had never seen a strong man cry. Father had never cried. His uncles had never cried. But right now, Jason Grace looked on the verge of tears, and yet he still looked stronger than any man Nico had known.

“That he’d be alright,” she continued, talking as if Jason hadn’t spoken, “That we’d be alright. And that I’d meet Mrs. Grace. That I’d meet Piper.”

Jason ran his tongue over his teeth. “I know.”

“And he promised me that we’d go to see one of those really fancy Broadway shows. And that he’d buy me the prettiest diamonds and I’d be the most knockout girl on the entire block, and…” she took a deep breath and looked up at him, “And you know what?

Jason didn’t look like he wanted to respond. After a moment, though, he said, quietly, “What?”

Calypso dropped her gaze again. She ran her thumb over the cheap plastic of the children’s ring Leo had given her. He told Nico about that. He said that it was a placeholder until he could buy Calypso the ring she deserved. He said that she deserved more than what was in his entire bank account and that when he was a real rich fella one day, he’d spend as much as he needed to put the most gorgeous ring on Calypso’s finger. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and stared back up at Jason.

“He was a liar.”


End file.
